Slack-adjuster for railway-brakes.



l W. H. SAUVAGE. SLAGK ADJUSTER FOR RAILWAY BRAKES.

Arrmonlou Hman un. '1, 1913.

1,1 17,707, Patented N0v.17,1914.

W. H; SAUVAGE.

sLAcK Anmsma PoR RAILWAY BRAKES..

APPLICATION FILED KAB, '1. 191% l *j* 322733?. l Patented Nov. 1?, 1914n a sanne-SHEET 2.

W. H. SAUVAGE.

SLACK AUJUSTLR POR RAILWAY BRAKES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR.7,191&

1, 1 17,707, Patented Nov. 17, 1914.-

. J .i HESSES AF/fvg '9. INVENTOR Mii/wf #sw Waff M QM,- .fwumt u 6) i 1mi/mers UNITED STATES PATENT-ermee.

XVILLIAM H. SAUVAGE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO' SAUVAGE-WRD BRAKE COMPANY, INC.. A CORPORATION-0F DELAWARE.

SLACK-ADJUSTEB. FOR RAILWAY-BRAKES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application led March 7, 1913. Serial No. 752,581.

To all whom t may concern llc it known that I, VILLMM H. SAUVAGE, a citizen of the United States, residing in the lborough of Manhattan of the city of New York, in the county of New York, in the State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Slack` Adjusters for l'lailway- Brakes, of which the following is a specification, reference .being had to the accompanying drawings, which jform a part hereof.

This invention relatesto automatic slack adj usters designed primarily with reference to theil use on cars of the maximum traction truck type, but equally applicable, by suitable modifications to be indica-ted, to cars employing; trucks of the usual standard types. The invention is concerned more particularly )vith such devices, commonly known in the art as shim slack adj'usters.

It has for an object to improve generally the construction und arrangement of 4such adjusters whereby the efliciency thereofqis increased and-the operation, in the manner intended, insured under all conditions .or

In the embodiment herein illustrated the shim slack adjuster is shown, as usual, in

combination .with an adjusting rod, the

function of which is well know-n in the art, but the construction and arrangement 'of which are generally improved in this invention. v

In accordance with the present invention, in so far as its application to a maximum traction truck is concerned, the equivalents of the usual dead levers are provided by shhrt brake arms pivotally 'supported' on beams secured to the car body or any available sta# tionary support. lt is to these short brake arms that the brake shoes of 4,the smaller wheels of the truck, are secured. The brake slides controlling the driving Wheels may be suspended in the ordinary manner` The action of the brakes is controlled through.

a live lever. lt is to provide devices operable automatically in case of excess travel of this li ve lever, duc to ivea r of the movable parts of the brake system. and to compensate for such wear, that this invention is made.

It is further sought to dispose the operating parts of such devices in protected positions so that they will not be subject to the ravages of the elements.

struct/ed a Still-another aim'is to regulate the adjustmg members sothat the slack taken up with respect to each pair of brake shoes shall be proportional substantiallyr to the amount of wear to which such shoes are subjected.

As indicated above, thev invention may be applied also to standard trucks and the general objects above set forth are sought to be realized when the invention is embodied m the brake equipment of trucks of the last named type. Further improvements in the present inventiony will appear expressly as this description proceeds, and other inherent advantages resulting from' the. structure employed will be apparent to those skilledl in the art. v

The invention will be now describedin dctail with reference to the accompanying drawings in .whichi- Figure 1 is a view partly'vin side elevation and partly in sectionofa maximum traction truck equipped with "a slack adjusterl condlncefy Withlthe present in- 'vention #FJ sfaviewf in'plan of the truck. showr'i 1n Flg. 1.' "Fig V3 is a'fra'gmentary View in elevation'on an enlarged scale showing the relation of the live leverto the brake beams. Fig. 4 is a detail view on an enlarged scale showing the relation of the improved slack adjuster and adjusting rod to the live lever and the brake beams. Fig. 5 .is a detail view partly in section of an improved clutch employe in connection with the adjusting rod an 'with all of the parts shown reversed from .he arrangement illustrated in Eig.' 4.,. Fig. 6 is a view in end elevation of lone of the clutch members shown in Figi -5. Fig. 7 is af view taken on the plane indicatedby the line 7-'-7 in-` Fig. 5 and lookingin the -direction` of t e arrows. Fig. 8 is a view similartol Figl'l showingrthe application of a slacl` adjuster' constructed in accordance with` the present invention to estandard truck. Fig. 9 is a view in plan 'of the truck shown inFigz. 8.

. comprises an integral 'casting-fk transverse brake bea'me2 adapted to swing therewith. -On a transverse beam f secured to any stationary supporting frame are pivotally mounted brake arms g carrying brake shoes g whichare appliedto the smaller' Wheels 'b' of the truck. The brake arms g have secured thereto between their points of suspension to the supporting beam f and the point of attachment tothe brake shoes g', controlling rods g? which are bolted to the ends of a second transverse beam gi, which is movably disposed' under. the above de scribed brake beam e. Substantially midwaybetweexi the ends of the swinging. beam gs isadjustably secured-thereto, a rod l.V

which is operatively connected to the live lever i, the latter being operatively connected to the usual source of power. l

An adjustable connection between the beam gand the threaded rod h is shown clearly in Fig. 4. As'it-appears from this figure, the beam y is provided'with a'tubular bracket g, n either Aside of which areY disposed nuts h and -L'l threaded on'the rod It and movable manually thereon to deter'- mine the position of said rodY with respect to" the beam gff, for a purpose which will hereafter appear. A

-The swinging brake beam Ye carries a bracket Ycs on which is formed a stud e. On thisstudis supported one 'end-of the im.- proved shim slack adjuster, which v{willjnow be described. The frameof this adjuster' formed therethrough'a -vertical slotA y is' disposed movably the live'le'ver i. .'jIn the side faces of the casting careformed longitudinal slots 1:' in which is disposed a pin ipassing through the live lever a'lid serving as a support for the slack adjuster.

'Adjacent to the outer endv of the casting cis formed a chamber k2 for shirns l,'.the purpose ofivhich will appear later.v This chamber k'i'has a removable bottoni which the shims may lie-inserted or removedias def 'six-ed. -n the bottom is formeda'longitudif nal slot to receive the flange'dportions ofthe shims when the latter are permitted to 'dro from their upper position to a lower posi,-`

tion. Extending into' the .chamber k2' and longitudinally thereof is a push rod m which is operatively connected to theplive lever'' by the pivot piu i'. 'lfhe length of thatportion of the push rod m which liesnormally within the chamber k2 is equal substantially to the length of said chamber; so that most' of the shims Z when in their upper position rest on the push -rod and are supported thereby. When the push rod mis withdrawn partially from the chamber k2v one or more of the shims l will be permitted t0 drop to the lower position, depending upon Athe extent of movement of the push rod and the thickness of each shim. ByA the arrangement described a solid abutment is always end with an interior justing rod- 'o au' found between the inner end of the push' rod and the end wall of theshim chamber cz. The operation of the parts just described with relation to the slack-inthe brake system will be pointed out more fully hereinafter.

' The pin e', which is carried in the bracket c, as described, supports a clutch member vn which has formed therein a slot n' to permit relative movement between said'pin and the clutch member. In accordance with this in- Vvention the clutchv member n is ormed at ythe Aa dusting rod o and the tapered inner face o the yoke 413,- a. wedging action is Y Abrought about when 'the adjusting rod and Vthe wedge are moved `Vtothe right -with re specttothe clutch, the rodfbeing then forced into thenarrower-lower part of the yoke "and gri ped thereby. Howe'vg free movement o the-rod through the yoke andthe l l collar is permitted in the opposite direction. In` accomplishing the desired 'compensating effect herein, it is necessary that during the vmovement of the'rod o to theright (Fig. 4) l -the swinging beam gwhich controlsthe movement ofv the brakes g of the smaller wheels b', should beA connected with the brakes -e whichvcoperate with the( tread of the driving wheels Ac.= This connection is made throu h .the adjusting rod o, which has a depe'n ing loop o' on one end, through which extends' the threaded :rod h. In the vinterests of smplicityand rigidity, the depending loop oisdisposed between the swinging beam gs and one of the nuts L, by which the relation. of the bcam'and the operating rod h', maybe varied. y

Although the'general construction of the several parts-of the brake system-has been described and their respective'functions indicated, it is believed that a detailed recital vo f their operation will alford a clearer understanding of the present inve'htion. When the brakes are to be adjusted initially and given any desired clearance, such adj ustment may be obtained partially throu h the manual operation of the nuts h and if. By these manual devices the relative position of` the brakesg' of the smaller wheels b' and the live lever may be determined.

The shims l in the shim boxv k2 may be moved to their upper position so as to permit the` push rod 'm to be moved intothe chamber and the pin iassume a position adjacent the inner end of the slots k in the sides of the shim frame k. The clutch n, after the desired clearance of the larger brake shoes c is obtained, may be slid along the adjusting rod until the pin c* is dis-` posed in the right hand end of the. slot n as'seen in Fig. 4.' ln Fig. 5 the pin is shown in the `other end of the slot.this figure showiuglall of the parts reversed with respect to the arrangement shown in F ig. 4. lvhen the parts are all placed as indicated above` `it will be understood that the inner end of the push rod mabuts against either the end wall of the shim box k2 or against one of the shims Z. and that accordingly movement of the live lever in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. l, will. through the pin e* and the beam el', apply the brakes e. Practically simultaneously` the brakes g will be applied. through the rod ha'the swinging beam y, rolls y: and brake arms g. By reason of the slot n the relative movement of the pin e* with respect to the clutch n, which ensues 'during the application described. is permitted. The length of the slot n is `such as tov permit travel of the brakes through their normal clearance -space only, and excess travel of the brakes will result in the engafzcmentof the pin 14* with the clutch n at the left hand end-ofthe 'slot n'.l 'After such engagement, farther movement of the brakes .villcause the clutch' n. to slide on the adjusting rod a. a distance equal to the excess travel. lil/'hen thel brakes arereleased, the stud a* will more. to the right hand end of the slot n', as seen in Fig. 4, but further Vsuitable coil spring operatively disposed with respect' to the lever. -u'ill result in move-l pin i' 'in the slots cof .the shim' nient of the frame. Sue iovement of theppin'' will result in the partial Withdrawal'fof thepush rod m from the shim bOXf-tlfius VpjBIIIitt-iilg;A one or more. of the shilns -Z tirdljOP `to 'the' l V"lho-o'tlie end'z-ofgthe rod-, --rextends freely lower position and forma 'solid abutment between the end of thev push .rod andt-lgiecnd 3. l wall of the shim box, as' ir'idi.ated"inori clearly in Figli. lt"will now be. clear.thatY the primar).y function of the-adjusting rd o" is vto maintain the brakes' y ma'ljcwinY their normal clearance position regardless of slack in the .brake rigging lor Wear of' any of the parts'. It will be equallyV clear that' the function of the shim slack adjuster is to compensate automatidally forsnch wear s'o that movement, of the live lever from its nor- `.al position will result invariably in the applcation of the brakes7 with the same power dead lever fo'rthe purpose isf-permitting iniand as and during the s'ame Yperio'fd of travel of the live lever. l. f Before pointing out moren detail the advantages incidental to the use of .a vsyst/em `secured tixedly to any convenient'.v portion' of the car body. and provided' Witli .seriesof apertures tomie'eeive .the ivotpin of fthe tial adjustment of thefulerum .of the latter;

The bra-kes y in this embodiment, which are -applied to the wheels corresponding to the smaller wheels b in the maximumtraction' tnuck. are carriedby han ers g5 {')ivoted to the fear truck` as will be. un erstoo'd.y yThe lower ends of the live lever' and the .dead -lever r a=reconnected rigidly/.by a bottom bar t having apluralityof. apertures if.. therein topermit the relative adjustment of the lower Leni'ls'ol. s a.id;leve1-s. :1t-Will now bcclear Atli'atiffmovement .of `-the' flivetleverin the/direction indicated by the-arrow-.in v

l"i;f r. S wll vbrina-jabo ut .the `application of tin-'brak 'v-e'gipd-y in theordinaijv manner, minted? out 4in Adetail `hereinbeforesln the'modification, now under discussion` the shimfxain' k is carried `directly by the swinging brake beam e. and the operation of the slack adjuster is in no'lway different from that. .pointed out with "reference to its t use on a Ymaximum traction truek. However. the arrangement of` the adjusting rod designated 'o2-is changedv to meet 'fthe reuuiremcnts of slightly modified use..;. As shown in Fig. 8, one end-of the adjusting; rod-hassjecured toits -braciket os which is lpi'v A y itcon'nected to the dead lever 1*', at a point in:ternedia'te its ends, Awhich point may attaohm'erit f this leverlto'its brake beam o.

dutch; here- 'designa-bed gener \ereference character fn?, which ina vlbe of y the sa me construction as the clutchl `-shown m possible. all of the moving parts. 'For inof these advantages to set them forth briefly.

tion herein describedfand the improved-arrangement of parts, as pointed out, will appear to oneslrilled in the art.' However, it may be conducive to a' clearer understanding sta-nce, it will be, evidentvthat foreign par` ticles may not enter -the shim chamber readily, since the open-portionsthereof'are always closed completely by eitherthe shims or the movingr p ush A. rod.

Another feature of. tlie invention which should be emphasized hereis the-improved clutch illustrated particularly'. inf Fig. 4

This clutch, ivhilehighly'eii'ective' and oer-. ,tain in its operation, prevents `relative move ment of the' pushfrod with it, bygocompara-Li able to have u yielding cluhac this peint in the brake rigging since a sudden application of the brakes together with an excess travel thereof, ordinarily .irnjgusesf severe Astrains and often results inthe fracture oi Y the adjusting'rd. lAs pointed out in eo nectionk with the description of this` clutch, free movement between thecluA hf'v d the adjusting rodin one direction is Other modifications of this structurewill suggest themselves to .skilled mechanics but" all suchchanges in formare to be deemed within the scope of this invention, .providedl the advantages herein sought to be realized,I result by the employment .of any featuresof construction set`forth in the appended l claims.

I claim as my invention A 1. In a brakesystem, the combination of brake shoes, a live -lever to control the movei' ment thereof, slack adjusting .means supiL portedby the brake rigging and including* a frame disposed intermediate the endsfof the live lever and having .slots therein,l a

. therebetween to limit'thei sleevefhavinlg a slot andf stud connection: I with one set of brake shoes, arod connected to the other set of brake shoes and disposed longitudinally in the slotted sleeve, the

`inner wall of the sleeve being tapered,` a 7o correspondingly tapered'wedge member disposed-between the rod Aand''the-taperedwall of the sleeve andvoperative to permit free relative movement offthe sleeve'and rod in one-direction whileinsuring a yieldingen-f -l gagement thereoff'to limit `their 4relative movement in the opposite direction.

' 3. In combination witlra .traction truckf" havin driving Wheels-.land idle wheel"` va swinging brake' beam secured to'the brake so q' shoes of the driving wheels, a second swlng- .beam lying under the brake -beam, a live lever, an ,adjustable connection between' the second named b eam Aand the live lever, rodssecured tothe secondnamed beam'adjaa5 cent its extremities and secured operatively' tofthe brake beam of the idle wheels,`and an operative'connection-between said last named beamand the brake beam, said con- Anectionv including. aclutch permitting free relative; movement )o f'thel beams in one direction`and =insuring a yielding engagementA tively yielding grip.. 'It .is speciallv desir-f`A` n'thg'gopposite direction.

therebetvveexftolimit their relative mover.

ing'gbeamlyin '.nn'der'lithel brake f beam, a.' live-leyenxana justablejconnection between. 100 the-.second `named#-lu'ain'i and i the -live le'ver, rodssecuredgtotliefsecond named beam adjacent vits`extremities and Vsecured opera.- tivelyv to thev..; bralzev beam of the idle wheels, an operative oonnectionfbetween said` lastnamed1 beam andthe brake beam, z seidccm`` f nectionv including a. clutch permitting relative-movementof the beams in onefdi` rection and a: yiel ing engagement relative jmove ment" in thefopposite direction, Aand=indendent means operatively connected to the. tothe brake beam to takeup `-`vo leverV and fsQ-Incombination-With va traction havin diving' .`wheels and idle wheels, a 'swinging brake beam secured to the brake shoes of the driving wheels, a second swingving 'beam lyin under'vthe brake beam, a live lever, an `adjustable connection between the secondnamed beam and the live lever, rods securedV to the second named vbeam adjacent its extremities'land secured operatively to the'brakebe'am ofthe idle Wheels, an operative 4connection[between said last 125 named beam and the brake beam, said connection including al clutch permitting free relative movement of the beam in one direction and insuring ayielding engagement therebetween to limit their relative movebmation vvitlia traction truck '95 shoes oftheidrivingwheelsyasecond swing-, I

ics

I. .having i jacent its extremities and secured opera- '-ment in the opposite direction, and inde,

i 16. In combination with a traction truck driving wheels and idle wheels', a

.swinging brake beam secured to the brake shoes of the driving wheels, a second swing ing beam lying under the brake beam, a live lever, an' adjustable connection between the second iiamedbeam and. the live lever, rods-secured to the second named beam adtively to the brake. shoes of the idle w 1s,

an operative connection between said lest*` named beam and the brake beam, said en nectionincluding a clutch permitting free relative movement of the beam in one direction and insuring a vielding engagement therebetween to limit heir relative movenient -inj the opposite direction, and. independent ineens vcooperating with said last named connection to take up the slack in the brake rigging, said means including a Y movable fulcruin for the live lever andmeans operable automatically to maintain the fulcrum in its adjusted position in accordance with theexcess travel ofthe live lever.'

'7. In combination with a truck having coperati ng with the driving wheels, a. brake beam secured to seid shoes, beamless brake shoes cooperating with the idle wheels, means to connect operativel the two sets ofl brake lslices und, automatic s ack adjuster de- -vices to take' up slack disposed operativel' in 'that portion of the brake rigging whic is carried by the truck. i Y

f-'Sl'n combination with a truck having driving Wheels and' idle Wheels, brake shoes coperating with the driving wheels, a brake beam secured to said shoes, beamless brake shoes coperating with the idle wheels, means to connect operatively the two-sets of brake shoes and an automatic slack adjuster device part of which is disposed in said connection. v

`coperating with the driving wheels, beamless brake lshoes,cooperating with the idle @Series disposed withm sai box, and means operatively disposed between.

wheels, means toconnect operatively the two sets of brake shoes, alive lever to control the movement of the brake shoes, and slack takedip devicesdis -osed operativel in that portion of the bra e` rigging .whc is cer-v ried by the truck and operative-automati-- cally upon excess travel ofthe live lever to take u the sla'ck Vinthe rigging.

l0.. n combination with a truck having driving wheels Aand idle wheels, brake shoes coperating with the driving wheels,vbeam less brake' shoes coperating with the. idle wheels, means tooonnectioperatvely the two sets of `brake shoes alelever to control the movement of the brake shoes,` a 'slack takeup device disposed in "seidlast'fnamed conrative automatically upon excess travel o the live -leverlto take up th slack in the ri i. Y

11. In combination .with a truck having driving fwheels and idle wheels, brake shoes cooperating with 'the dri-Ying Wheels, abrake lbeam Securedto said shoes, beamlessbrake shoes `coperarti iig vwith the idlewheels, a shim box; mounted in the brake ri ging, shim thefshims `sind liveflever whereby upon excess 'travel of thejlive leverjthe shms may shift successively to-:talre up automatically the slack in -the'rigging driving wheels and idle wheels, brake shoes '12: Inffcombinatiom with 'struck lhaving driving wheels-and idlefwheels, brake shoes coperatlng w1th-the1driving wheels, abrake beam secured-to seid shoes,lbeamless brake shoes coperating with the idle wheels, a live lever to. controll the, move'inent of the shoes, a connection between the livelever and the beamless brake shoes, a shim-box mounted onfthelive lever, a series of idisposed Within said box, a-pushrod mounted on the live lever andcoperating with saidshiins wherebyfupon excess travel of the live lever the shims .are permitted to shift successively to take up automatically the slackin the rigging. l A This specification signed and witnessed this 28thl day of February, A. 1913.

WILLIAM SAUVAGE. vSigned in the presence of- W. B. GRnnLEY, WORTHINGTON (LiiiirPiinLL.V 

